Shattered Mirror
by Lovely-Madness-13
Summary: The third and final section to my XANA's Daughter series. Frightened and losing control of her sanity, Aelita fights to find a way to finally destroy Magenta...before Magenta destroys them all. J/A
1. Chapter 1

Hello, and welcome to the final part of the XANA's Daughter series. Thank you for staying with this story so far and seeing it to it's- hopefully- dramatic and enjoyable end. Just a word of warning...Magenta, Aelita's XANA- created clone, a is a twisted thing, and in this last section, it shows all the little more. It's rated T for a reason. Please to enjoy, and thank you!

Was she dead?  
She couldn't tell if her eyes were open or closed.  
Was the death this floating feeling?  
But there was sound.  
At least it wasn't silent any more.  
A soft hum, whispers echoed in the back of her head. An emotion rose slowly with them, like fog.  
Had she killed them?  
A murmur of pain flashed through her mind at the thought. How...how could she...  
More voices hissed at her, bouncing around against the quiet like the sparks that had danced along her skin, in her eyes, in her heart.  
Those sparks killed them.  
No. Shut up. Something inside her clenched. The emotion brought bile with it, slowly tearing at her throat.  
You couldn't control it. Worthless, useless, stupid little fool. You lost control.  
The hissing voice laughed softly, cruelly, as other voices babbled at her in soft panic.  
And now they're gone.  
Gone.  
And now you've left the door open. They're coming again. The monster and it's daughter. Wake up.  
They can't be gone.  
Wake up.  
"Aelita?"  
Wake up!  
Horror constricted her chest, guilt and anger choking her.  
"Aelita!"  
Another voice, different, in her ears. Oh please. She grasped on to it, pleading. They can't be gone. Please.  
"She's not breathing, something-"  
"J-Jeremie?"  
Her eyes flashed open just as the voice registered in her memory. Gasping, she sat bolt upright, coughing.  
Something was hitting her hard on the back. Her eyes pouring tears, Aelita flung her hands out, covering her head.  
"Princess, please, please, breathe!"  
Another voice, another hand on her back. Her eyes opened wide, and the coughs froze in her throat as she spun.  
"You- you're not-" Staring at the startled faces of Jeremie and Ulrich, her coughs erupted again. Gasping, she watched as other figures hurried towards her. "You-u're alive?"  
From the other side of room, leaning against one of the scanners, Odd raised an eyebrow and exchanged glances with Yumi, who was standing just behind Ulrich.  
"Uh, Princess..."  
Aelita shook her head, covering her face with her hands. "I- I lost control, Magenta said-"  
"You'd believe that half-byte thing over your eyes, Princess?" Ulrich asked, reaching out to pat her shoulder gently.  
"It'd take a lot more than that sparks show to delete us."  
"Devirtualized, maybe," Odd muttered, and Aelita's eyes widened and she looked up, the guilt flooding back.  
"I- I devirtualized you?"  
"Aelita-" Jeremie shot a glare at Odd before turning back to her with a gentle smile on his face. He had been sweating, she realized, and his face was white as a ghost. The guilt came again, clenching her heart.  
"It was rather impressive, actually," Yumi said quickly, coming closer to pat her hand. "We were more worried about you anyway. You-"  
"Lost control." Even to her own ears, her voice sounded strangled, false, strange. The bile from before rose again, and gasping, she buried her face into her hands again. "She was right. I'm stupid, and useless, and-"  
"Stop that."  
Jeremie's voice was suddenly, surprisingly stern.  
"Aelita, how many times have we screwed up and hurt each other?"  
Aelita started to shake her head, unable to look at him. "This is different-"  
"You know what," Odd interjected quietly. "You're right, Princess. It is different."  
"That wasn't even your fault," Yumi added, her voice gentle. "XANA's the one who stole your powers, remember? Did you say he was messing with them?"  
"I lost control," Aelita murmured, barely hearing her friends. "I should have had better contact and control with them in the first place, then it wouldn't have happened."  
"Aelita-"  
"It's my fault!" Grief, guilt and horror bit into her heart. Gasping, Aelita flung herself away from them, landing on the hard metal floor. Barely noticing the cold and the pain, she raced blindly to the elevator.  
"Aelita!"  
Her friends shouted out to her, but the doors shut with a clang before they could reach her. Her heart in tatters, Aelita leaned against the wall, shaking violently.  
Laughter echoed softly in her head.  
That's it. Run away, just like always do, little sister.  
Aelita let out a strangled sob, clapping her hands over her ears. It did little good.  
You're right, you know. Pathetic, worthless. You almost killed them. But no matter. I'll have them soon enough.  
"Shut up!"  
The elevator door open and Aelita stumbled out, her head pounding. The voice hissing in the back of her mind.  
You'll just lose control again. You'll lose them, yourself. My father awaits, you little sister.  
"No...you can't...you're just a monster."  
So are you. Both created by father's who never wanted us.  
"I'm human, I'm real, you're just-"  
You, dear idiot, are as inhuman, unreal, as monstrous as me. We're a dual image of each other, a tainted refection. One and the same, but weak and strong. I will be living, and finally have that dear, sweet boy you cling to.  
And, you dear fool, will be gone.  
"NO!"  
Half blinded, Aelita flung herself against the wall. Was she still on earth? Everything seemed to so strange, shadowed and fake. Magenta was laughing, shrieking.  
He is mine.  
Gasping, sobbing for breath, Aelita's head flew up, and met her own gaze in a dusty mirror hanging lopsided on the wall. Where her eyes always that red? Her skin that white?  
This is you. This is me.  
Magenta was whispering now, smirking at her through Aelita's own refection. Aelita watched, dull horror barely touching her now through the tears still streaming down her face. White and black eyes, insane pupils, smirking black lips.  
He is mine.  
In her mind, Aelita could see him. Jeremie. Blue eyes wide with fear, glasses broken.  
A soft sigh echoed in her head. For a moment, Magenta's voice gentled slightly, as if she too, could see the young genius in Aelita's own mind.  
I will have him. Always. Mine. My slave.  
The laugh came again, the hiss.  
The black lips smiled again, the white hips, barely clad in the ripped tattered red skirt, swayed suggestively, grossly, and bile rose Aelita's throat again.  
He's so sweet and innocent.  
A black tongue traced the twisted, smiling lips.  
And he's mine. He'll forget all about you, little sister. Pathetic, foolish, murderer.  
"They're not-"  
You lost control. They almost died. All thanks to you. Pathetic little sister.  
"No! No, shut up! SHUT UP!"  
Screaming, Aelita flung herself at the smirking image before her. Her fist hit the glass, shattering the mirror into thousands of pieces.  
The back of her mind, Aelita thought she heard a sudden cry of surprise, of pain.  
Her fist bleeding, Aelita stared at the hole where the mirror had been. Her lungs screamed for air, her head throbbed along with her heartbeat.  
Her eyes slowly sunk to where the glass shards of the mirror lay, scattered on the floor. PIcking up a piece, she stared into it.  
Her own eyes reflected back to her, wide, shadowed, full of tears.  
"Well. That's one way to get seven years bad luck," remarked a gentle voice from behind her.  
Aelita whirled, almost falling into the broken pieces of the mirror. Glancing up, she looked into Jeremie's eyes. A single tear dripped from his cheek, hitting one of the shards of glass. Smiling warmly as she stared up at him, Jeremie reached a hand out to her.  
A soft sigh echoed in the back of her head, but Aelita ignored it.  
"Jeremie, I-" Hesitating, she reached out and took his hand. Warm, gentle. Real. The guilt, the fury, the fear faded slightly, and she stood slowly. "The others, they're really okay, what about-"  
"You're bleeding." Jeremie gently swept a thumb of the cuts on her hand, clearing of the dried blood. Aelita winced slightly, accepting the pain.  
"That's real too," she murmured, her eyes glancing back at the pieces of glass on the ground.  
"Aelita?"  
She raised her eyes to his again, and felt her heart lighten slightly. "Lets go home, Jeremie."


	2. Chapter 2

Black and white eyes, circle pupils pulsing slowly, watched five humans exit the factory. Her vision blurred as they moved farther away, until her father's power failed to reach them.  
Black lips curved into a smile.  
Once he awaked again, her father would reach them. And bring them. He could have his little target, that pathetic little fool.  
That stupid little idiot who punched her own image. Magenta winced. The physical blow hadn't hurt her, of course, but it had forced her- momentarily- to retreat back into her father's hold once more.  
Until he awoke again.  
It was soon now. She could feel the automatic pulse in the system around her slowly speed up.  
XANA, her father, would awaken, and have his prey.  
And she, his daughter, could have hers.

"You gonna eat that?"  
"Odd, let her at least sit down before you start mooching of the poor girl's plate."  
Aelita didn't look up, automatically sliding her entire lunch tray toward Odd. The boy's face lit up.  
"Hey, thanks Princess, I can really-" Yumi, sitting on Aelita's left, coughed pointedly, glaring at the blond and purple haired boy. Odd's smile faded slightly and he winced. "I mean, you should have something, really."  
"Aelita, please, you should have something," Jeremie added, pleadingly, on Aelita's right side. Despite this, he too slid his lunch tray toward Odd.  
Aelita simply shook her head, her chin resting on her fist as she frowned slightly, looking off into the distance. Jeremie, somewhat relieved to recognize the look as one of thought, not fear, guilt or exhaustion, gently rested a hand over hers. Her fingers quirked and Jeremie jerked a little, blushing. Her skin was cold, as cold it had been just yesterday. A chill went down his spine at the memory.  
Aelita's breakdown. The terror, the guilt in her eyes when she had woken up, had faded now to a strange, distance silence. He had watched it settle there, on her face, in her eyes, when she spun around after breaking the mirror in the factory. She had taken his hand and stood, so gracefully, as if she had never fallen apart.  
In a way, it frightened him even more than the depressed exhaustion she had shown before.  
"Princess?"  
Jeremie shook his head at Ulrich, who had stopped rolling his eyes at his roommate- who was happily wolfing down the food from all three lunch trays now- to lean over towards the pink-haired girl. Jeremie held up a finger. "She's thinking."  
Ulrich raised his eyebrows. "She's been 'thinking', Einstein, ever since-" he winced, and stopped. "Do you know what happened?" he continued quietly, as if hoping Aelita was too deep in thought to hear.  
Jeremie shook his head again and shrugged, barely taking his eyes off of the quiet pink-haired girl beside him. "I'm still not sure. She won't tell me what Magenta told her, or why she punched the mirror." He glanced down at the still, cool, hand he still held. The cuts from the broken glass were little more than scars already, yet the fact that anything would push her far enough to fall apart like that shook him to the core.  
Fine job of a protecter I'm doing, he thought angrily to himself. I can't do a thing and except watch and try to some how block Magenta's effect on her. Somehow...  
BBBBRRRING!  
THe shrill bell clanged suddenly, signaling the end of another lunch period. Jeremie, tossed out of his thoughts, stood automatically, then jerked to a halt. Aelita's hand had turned over- when had that happened?- and her fingers had interlocked with his. His face went hot, and he sat back down slowly. She didn't even seem to be aware that the bell had rung, yet she-  
Odd sniggered behind him. "Looks like even when she's out of it, she still wants to be with you." Jeremie's blush went from pink to pepper red, and he glared.  
"She's not out of it, she's been through quite the ordeal-"  
"And it's not over yet, judging from yesterday," Yumi muttered, and shivered slightly. "That empty look in her eyes when she woke up- do you think she still blames herself for what happened on Lyoko?"  
"Probably," Ulrich answered as Jeremie stuttered. He looked sidelong at the blond genius. "You and Princess seem to like playing Apollo."  
"That'd be Atlas, good buddy," Odd quipped, grinning. "The god who held the world on his shoulders."  
Ulrich made a face at his roommate, but Jeremie was already ignoring them.  
"Aelita?" Leaning closer to her, he tried to see the expression on her eyes.  
"Jeremie."  
His heart skipped a beat when she murmured his name softly.  
"We've all been rather blind. It's my fault, though."  
Her voice barely above a whisper, Aelita turned her head slowly, but still didn't mean his eyes. Jeremie stared at her.  
"Nothing's your fault, Aelita, it was-"  
"The answer...it's staring us in the face." A small shudder went over her, and Jeremie leaned closer to her, forgetting for a minute to be nervous. "I think...I think I have a way to stop her. Our...to catch our clever friend." Even slower now, she turned and looked at Jeremie. "But I need your help."  
He forgot to breathe, just for a moment. Had her eyes always been that deep, so ageless? She was so close he could almost feel her heartbeat.  
"A-anything," he stammered, his own heartbeat tripping up about ten notches. "Anything. I'll do anything t-to help you."  
She didn't smile, but her lips quirked slightly. "Thank you." She blinked slowly, and rose. Unnerved now, Jeremie copied her. Without a word, Aelita walked out of the lunch room, her head held high for what seemed the first time in weeks. Lost in concern, hope, and awe, it took him a moment to realize she was speaking again.  
"We don't have much time."  
"Much...time?"  
"After yesterday, she's going to move quickly. They both are. You know how XANA gets when he thinks he's close to a victory. I think his daughter is the same way." Jeremie nodded slowly, moving faster in order to keep with her. Even thought she was shorter than him, her stride seemed to eat up the ground. "Jeremie, the program you created to try to help me gain my powers back. Can you alter it?"  
The sudden turn of subject had Jeremie staring, and in the process almost ran into his own door. Blinking, he realized they had walked back to his room, and Aelita was already inside and standing next to the computer chair.  
"I-uh...yes," he answered, trying to force his brain to catch up. "I think so, but why-"  
Aelita moved forward, and to his surprise, took his hand. "Can you alter it into a type of virus?"  
The warmth from her hand, from the closeness of her wrapped into his head, making his brain go even slower. "Well, I guess...um..." Think, you idiot, he told himself firmly. This is not the time to pay attention to your hormones.  
Aelita nodded, acting as if she didn't notice his blush, or his stammer. "You can do it, I'm sure."  
"It might take some time to...to rewrite the..." Jeremie stopped, seeing the determined look on her lovely face. "Don't worry, Aelita. But...why?"  
Her eyes narrowed. "Magenta is merely a very high-tech, interactive program." For the first time in more than twenty-four hours, a small smile appeared on her face. "We'll make use of that fact."  
Jeremie stared at her as the smile on her lips turned to a angry smirk. "But...how?"  
Green eyes flashed as she turned to look at the computer screen.  
"We delete her."


	3. Chapter 3

"Are...are you sure?"  
"If you don't mind."  
Jeremie stared, rather gobsmacked, at the girl sitting next to him in front of his computer. They had been trying rearrange his program into a virus for more than four hours, and now she had just...just suggested... his brain threatened to implode and he forced the thought from finishing. Instead, he tried to form a solid sentence.  
"I- I don't mind...I mean...but why? What if Jim does a surprise inspection or something?"  
"I'm not going to be sleeping your bed, Jeremie," Aelita replied, not looking at him. Jeremie was rather glad of this fact, since her statement made even more blood rush to his head. "You still have that cot your cousin slept on?" For a moment, she looked back at him, although she could only see the outline of him in the dark of the room. The nervousness, the shock and confusion, she knew, would be all bright and brilliant in his eyes, if only she could see them. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt the embarrassment, the nervousness, the strange excitement at the idea of spending so much time with him, sleeping only a few feet away from him.  
No time to think about that, she reminded herself, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. No time. He's in danger, you can't ignore that by mooning over him when he probably doesn't even care.  
"You have the cot?"  
"Uh...yes?"  
"I'm not intruding?"  
Jeremie shrugged. "No, it's okay...I mean, if you're f-fine with it, A-Aelita..."  
"It's not my privacy"- or my safety, she added mentally, hating the shiver that threatened to lash down her spine- "that I'm worried about," she replied. "It's yours. And this way, you can get rest while I work on this."  
"But, you-"  
The look she sent him sent cold and warm chills all the way to his toes. Still amazed by the drastic change in her from how had she had been yesterday, how she had been earlier today, he shut his mouth, knowing there was no point arguing. When she wanted to be, Aelita was just as stubborn as Jeremie himself. But this time, something in his head, perhaps in his heart as well, told Jeremie not to argue.  
"Okay," he said softly, and Aelita nodded, turning back to the computer. Hearing her sigh softly, he moved forward and put a hand on her shoulder. "Aelita, at least let me work on that for a while. Please. You've done so much already."  
Aelita hesitated, looking from him to the screen and back again. Well, she had promised him she'd work on it once he got tired, but now...her own eyelids felt heavy, despite all her attempts to ignore them.  
"I'll get the cot out," Jeremie added, seeing her sway slightly. Aelita winced mentally. How could she protect him from Magenta if she couldn't even stop herself from falling asleep? Annoyed, Aelita let out another sigh, then nodded slowly, standing.  
"Alright. But I"m not going to sleep. I'll just watch."  
Jeremie hurried and pulled the cot out- and looked up just in time to see her starting to pull of her hoodie. He froze, all the blood rushing to his head and below his waist.  
"A-Aelita?"  
The girl sighed again, turning as she straightened out the sleeveless dark pink shirt that had been underneath. "Yes?" The expression on her face was so innocent, Jeremie wondered vaguely if she hadn't done that on purpose. No. He shook that thought out of his head, trying reel his thoughts back before they made it the gutter. No. Flustered at himself, he turned his face away from her, forcing himself not to stare. He had a virus to create.

She was in the forest behind the school. Like the shadows around her, she crept towards the large brick building where she knew she could find what she was looking for. She had been there before, of course. The memory brought a small smile to her lips. Stupid humans. Always ran and hid, like little ants with their leader cut down.  
Once she cut down the leader of those little fools her father wanted, she could have the one she wanted. Finally. But first...  
This time when she snuck into the back door of the school, there was no human to stop her. Chuckling to herself, she slid as a shadow down the poorly lit hallways. It was so easy to slip in now. Slide into his head, make him hers before that little creature her father desired could even lift a finger in protest. His body would betray him, she knew. Humans were little more than animals, after all. He would be hers.  
How easy it would be.  
Smiling, she smelled him and slipped through the door, into his room. The computer was bright, the only color, the only light in the room. A human sized lump sat in the chair by the computer, unmoving. A fan whirred quietly in the corner. But she noticed nothing but him, still and quiet on the bed. Feeling the excitement and desire stir as it always did, she moved forward, and reaching out to him, slipped into his dreams.

Aelita's eyes opened slowly, her heart pounding. "I...I fell asleep...?" Frowning, she sat up and glared groggily at the computer. "Great...just-" She froze, a strange, soft sound coming from behind her. Turning in the chair, she looked back, and saw Jeremie out cold on the bed. Despite everything, her heart did a little flip in her chest. Without a thought, she stood quietly and moved to where he lay. He looked so peaceful, she realized. So young looking without his glasses. His hair had flopped into his face, over his eyes. Unable to stop herself, she gently smoothed the hair from his face.  
At her touch, he winced sharply, and Aelita jerked her hand back, frowning. What on earth... Jeremie turned over, and suddenly Aelita realized he was trembling. A dream? Her eyes wide, she knelt at the side of the bed, trying to look into his face. His eyes were shut tight, and his lips parted slightly. A soft sound, a quiet moan, slipped from him, and he winced again.  
A nightmare.  
Concern flooded her head, and she quickly grabbed his shoulders.  
"Jeremie. Jeremie, wake up."  
Had this been how he felt when he stood there, waiting for her to wake up after the disaster in Lyoko? Helpless and terrified?  
"Jeremie, please."  
When all he did was shudder slightly, Aelita bit her lip, then gently cupped his face in her hands, trying to open his eyelids gently with her finger tips. Her thumbs brushed his forehead.  
Eyes were burning to hers- his- theirs. A smile, deep pink, tinted with black, curved as arms wrapped around their neck.  
You'll be mine for ever, right, Jeremie?  
The voice echoed in their heads, seductive, wicked, suggesting, hiding.  
Lying.  
Aelita gasped, her own eyes flipping back open.  
Magenta.  
"Jeremie!" Her heart pounding now, Aelita pulled at him, trying to get him to move, to sit up, to wake up. Furious, she cupped his face again, gently placing her finger tips against his forehead and closed her own eyes.  
Get out of him.  
Her own order, her voice, echoed in their connected minds. How she knew this, she wasn't sure. But Magenta felt it, heard it. Those eyes, twisted and painted to look like Aelita's own, blinked and narrowed.  
He's not yours, never was. Let him go.  
Never. But the grip around dreaming Jeremie's- and Aelita's neck, loosened slightly. She could feel the pull now, the dark metallic calling from the super computer. He's mine, you know, little sister. He wants me.  
We'll see about that.  
I'll come for him.  
Over my dead body.  
With pleasure, little sister. But he's mine. And will come to me.  
Over. My. Dead. Body. Furious now, and disgusted, Aelita pushed with her mind. Although her powers were limited on earth, she felt the slapping spark nonetheless- and heard the hiss of surprise and pain from her enemy.  
I will see you then, little sister. The taunting voice was fading now. She could feel Jeremie's body calming down, his heart beat slowing.  
I'll see you to hell first, Aelita replied, even though she wasn't sure if Magenta even heard her. She opened her own eyes.  
And stared into Jeremie's wide blue ones.  
"A-Aelita?"  
Seeing the shock, the confusion, the fear, Aelita pulled back from him quickly. Too quickly to see the warmth that slide over the terror.  
"Sorry, it seemed like you were having a nightmare," she said quickly, not sure if he had been aware of exactly why Magenta had left his mind.  
"I...I uh..." Metal images stuck his brain on pause. Aelita, crawling into the bed with him, claiming she was cold. Aelita, her smile warm, her eyes inhuman.  
Not his Aelita. A shudder went down his spine, despite the warmth of the room, the warmth of the girl only a few feet away from him.  
Not that Aelita was his. Jeremie winced, forcing his brain to work. "Um..."  
A sudden beeping resounded through the room, and both of them jumped. Aelita was at the computer first, and the look on her face, half in shadows, sent another shiver down Jeremie's spine.  
"XANA's awake."


	4. Chapter 4

Dedalie-dedalie...dedalie-dedalie...  
"Mmmmmmm...errrrr...pphhh..."  
Dedalie- dedalie...  
"Odd, your shoe is hummin'."  
"Mmmmmmmmmmm..."  
"Odd!"  
"Itz goin' out fer Kadic Idol..."  
Giving up, Ulrich groggily sat up and slipped out of bed. Wincing in disgust, he grabbed Odd's vibrating, buzzing left shoe, and turned it over. Out fell his roommate's neon purple cell phone, the Kiwi keychain dangling wildly as the phone continued to ring. Ulrich, rolling his eyes at the still snoring Odd, picked up the phone and flipped it open.  
"Yeah?"  
"Odd, wake it- wait-Ulrich? Why are you Odd's phone?"  
"Jeremie?" Ulrich blinked, glanced at the clock by the bed. "Dude, it's only six in the morning, what-"  
"XANA's attacking. Again. Wake up Odd up and get down the factory a-sap."  
"Wait- what's the attack?" Suddenly wide away, Ulrich jumped off his bed and start shaking Odd, still listening to Jeremie through the phone.  
"It doesn't matter, get here," Jeremie snapped quietly. "Hurry."  
The line went dead.  
Ulrich growled softly, cursing another his breath. He tossed the cellphone back into Odd's other shoe lying by the bed, then processed to wake up his roommate.

The ground under the school let out a soft rumble. Black smoke drifted in and out of the still hallways of the school, looking for something, anything, to possess. The door to the science room was ajar. The smoke slipped inside, evaluating it's surroundings. Nothing useful, just cabinets, sinks, books. Three fake skeletons- used for autonomy class- standing in the for corner. The smoke seemed to pause for a moment, considering. Then it possessed.  
A moment later, bony fingers twitched. A soft hissing laugh escaped the white jaw of a skull.  
And hollow black eyes turned red.

Shadow-eyed, Jeremie paced back and forth in front of the super computer.  
"I'm such an idiot, the virus might not even work, if only I had a little more time-"  
Aelita, standing quite still next the computer chair, watched him. "Jeremie, you'll have enough time-" she started, her voice soothing. Yet Jeremie only shook his head.  
"Not now, the attack's started. I don't know what XANA did, but-"  
"I do."  
"Yumi!"  
Both of them spun, and looked at the tall girl dressed in black as she strode into the room. Her eyes were narrowed, her skin even paler than usual. "That monster's really outdone himself this time," she continued, shaking her head. "Possessed Mrs. Hertz's skeletons, has them racing up and down the grounds." She shuddered, putting a hand over her arm. Aelita looked closer, and gasped.  
"Yumi, you're bleeding!" She hurried forward and looked at the wound on the older girls forearm. Yumi winced again.  
"It's just a flesh wound," she said dryly, but Aelita didn't smile. Slightly surprised by how calm the pink-haired girl seemed, Yumi let her gently dress the wound with strips of tissue from Yumi's backpack. "Those things, the skeletons, the ends of their fingers are like claws. I came to class early-" she flinched. "Not a good idea. Did you call the boys?"  
Aelita and Jeremie both nodded. "They should be coming soon."  
Yumi hesitated, then looked straight at Aelita. "You think that...that twisted twin of yours is in on this?"  
Aelita's eyes narrowed. "I'm quite sure of it," she stated softly. The expression on her face went cold, almost cruel, the fury in her eyes sending a chill down Yumi's spine.  
"Well, then what-"  
"You're going in first," Aelita said, still in that soft, calm tone. "You and the boys, if you don't mind. She won't go after you, though. I'll make sure of that."  
Jeremie opened his mouth, as if to protest, then shut it again.  
Wise decision there, Einstein, Yumi thought wryly. Aelita didn't look like she was in the mood to argue.  
"And?" Yumi crossed her arms, waiting. "Me and the guys do what?"  
"Fight the monsters, distract XANA. I will distract Magenta until Jeremie finishes the virus that will destroy her."  
Yumi blinked. "There's a virus that can take out that bitch?" She winced at the two of them. "Sorry."  
Jeremie shook her head. "It fits. And we agree with you. And..." he glanced at Aelita, clearly nervous. "Yes to the virus question. In theory."  
"And then you deactivate the tower after sending Magenta to her digital grave."  
Aelita smiled slightly, angrily. "That is the plan, yes." Just then, The elevator clanged open once again, and Odd and Ulrich stumbled out.  
"Hey, guys," Yumi greeted, taking a step forward.  
Jeremie glanced at them, then started to slide into the computer chair. "Into the scanners, please."  
"How'd ya like that?" Odd put his hands on his hips. "Not even a good morning."  
"It's not a good morning, Odd," Jeremie muttered, shaking his head.  
"Could you at least tell us-"  
"Lets go." Aelita cut Ulrich off by striding past him and moving into the elevator. Ulrich and Odd stared after her for a moment, open-mouthed, then copied her, Yumi following close behind. A second later, Aelita poked her head back into the room. "Actually, Jeremie, if you don't mind, you should come to."  
Perplexed, Jeremie obeyed, and got into the elevator.  
"So, now can we get an explanation?" Ulrich pressed after a moment of strained silence.  
Straight backed, Aelita faced him, her expression almost stonily calm. "XANA attacks, you guys go first, fight monsters, I go second, distract Magenta." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Magenta gets infected by virus. XANA is beaten."  
Odd raised an eyebrow. "What if she goes after Einstein, blocks the virus thingy?" He shrugged his shoulders. "She did that before, didn't she?"  
"That won't happen."  
"But even-"  
Aelita's voice went ice cold. "That. Won't. Happen."  
"Odd, I think you might wanna drop it now," Yumi muttered, kicking the purple clad boy in the foot. He winced, and glared at her. The elevator door slid open, and all five of them walked into the scanner room.  
"Okay, Odd, Ulrich, Yumi. Go first." Jeremie nodded to them, even though he hung back by Aelita. "I have it rigged for automatic virtualization, so hurry."  
The three of them nodded. "Princess?"  
Aelita looked at Ulich, then Yumi and Odd as they turned to face her and Jeremie. Yumi smiled slightly. "Good luck."  
"Kick her ass," Ulrich added, not apologetic at all for his language.  
Aelita smiled slowly, her eyes flashing. "I plan to."  
Odd snorted, but before any more could be said, the scanner doors closed, and the whirring sounds of virtualization began.  
"Aelita?"  
Now that it was silent in the factory, Aelita sighed slightly. She could hear it in the back of her head. The soft muttering, the threatening, over confident laughter that still bubbled in the back of her brain. She could always feel Magenta's presence when she was in the factory, so close XANA itself. She smirked slightly, and turned to Jeremie.  
He was watching her nervous, concern turning his blue eyes neon behind his glasses.  
"Aelita, please...I know... you feel this is your duty to do this, but..." he trailed off, shaking his head and not meeting her eyes. Under the anger, the fear, Aelita felt her heart, already pounding, melt slightly. He would always be there. But he wasn't stopping her, not this time. She took a step closer, put a hand to his cheek. Slowly, knowing what she had to do, her heart kicked up in speed for an entirely different reason.  
"Jeremie, everything will be fine," she said softly, and the young genius hesitantly raised his eyes to hers. She smiled for him, unsure whether it was a reassuring one or not, but he smiled back slightly none-the-less. "Just..." she took another step closer, and noticed the blush that began to taint his cheeks. When she had stood this close to him last, she wasn't sure. She smiled again, and leaned closer. "Jeremie, do me a favor?" She was whispering now, her mouth close to his ear. She could actually feel him jump when her lips accidently brushed his earlobe. In the back of her head, she felt the cruel laughter suddenly freeze. Felt the cold metallic gaze on her, as if her enemy was in the same room, watching. The idea sent a thrill, half horror, half furious satisfaction, down her spine.  
The blush on Jeremie's face only darkened. "W-what? A-anything, A-aelita- um-"  
The stammer in his voice made her smile real, made the nervous that threatened rear up back off slightly. "Could you pretend," she murmured, her eyes on his, "Just for a moment, that you would actually want this to happen?" Then, before he could answer, Aelita stood up on her tip-toes, wrapped her arms lightly around his neck, and pressed her mouth to his.  
A shock that had nothing to with electricity flickered down her spine, sparking of points of warmth where ever it went. She felt- heard- Jeremie's stunned in take of breath, felt his body, so close to hers, freeze up.  
In the back of her mind, she heard, felt the gasp, the slap of shock and jealousy. And smiled into the kiss.  
Come after me, she thought, wondering numbly if Magenta could hear her. Come and get me if you want him. You go through me first.  
The thought cut off suddenly when Jeremie seemed to relax slightly. Had he heard her? Was he actually pretending to enjoy...now it was she who gasped when she felt him gently rest on hand on her lower back, the other against her cheek. Her heart beat kicked faster.  
The scream of fury in the back Aelita's mind broke the spell. Trembling now, almost unsteady as he, she pulled away and stepped back. Forcing her heart stop, the heat to cool down, she cocked her head to one side as he stared at her, his eyes hot and confused.  
"Good pretending, Jeremie," she said softly, and walked past him, into the scanner.  
"Aelita?"  
She glanced back, saw him standing there, slowly rising trembling fingers to his lips. Her heart threatened to melt again, and she forced herself not to smile, to not indulge the warmth that longed to over throw everything.  
"Good luck, Jeremie," she said softly as the scanner doors started close. Her eyes on his, she smiled for him. "You're safe now."  
The scanner door clanged shut. Aelita closed her eyes, and turned her face up into the light of the transformation.


	5. Chapter 5

"Aelita?"  
The Polar Region spread out before them, silent and still to three our of the four of them standing there.  
"Well, guys..." even through the microphone on Earth, Jeremie sounded nervous. "I don't see-" he paused. "Wait...what the...Aelita, can you hear it?."  
Voices sung in the back of her, whispering warnings, welcoming her. Another voice, apart from the others, laughed softly, preparing for onslaught.  
Aelita's eyes narrowed, her virtual green eyes flashing. "I can hear her, Jeremie. And them."  
Odd, who crouched on a small ice rise a few feet away, raised a purple eyebrow at her. "Can hear what, Princess?" He indicated his cat-like ears. "I don't hear a thing."  
Aelita shook her head. "Not with my ears. Not exactly." The virtual air around them began to shiver slightly, and her eyes went to slits. "Not that it matters."  
Just then, a soft metallic clank echoed behind them. Ulrich turned first, and causally rested a hand over his swords.  
"Looks like we've got some company," he drawled, eyeing the three megatanks.  
"Oh really, handsome? You missed me?"  
A thrill of horror, dread and fury hissed down Aelita's spine as that voice, identical and demonic, echoed around them through the virtual air. She glanced up-and into Magenta's wild white eyes.  
The monster smiled, standing at least twenty feet above them on a high icy peak. "Hello, there little minions." Her smile widened. "I'll be eating your faces shortly."  
Yumi made a gagging sound next to Ulrich. "Disgusting. Fits you perfectly, Magenta," she called, glancing at Aelita. The pink haired girl had gone quite still, her gaze fixed on her enemy.  
Magenta just chuckled softly, and blew a kiss in Yumi's direction. "Like wise," she retorted, but then looked back Aelita. "But first, I have to deal with you." She sneered, the black circles that served as her pupils flickering for a moment. "You and I, little sister, have quite the subject to discuss." .  
"Yes, we do," Aelita replied, her tone just as calm, almost friendly- as Magenta's. "Your deletion."  
Magenta threw back her head and laughed. The sound sent skitters of black sparks behind her, and in the back of her mind, Aelita heard the hissing warnings, the shrieks of pain in the voices of Lyoko. Still laughing, the monster took a step off the peak, into the thin air, and landed with deafening boom on the ice. The impact of her landing cracked the ice rippling circles that stopped just a few inches from Aelita's feet.  
"Princess?"  
Aelita raised a hand slowly, and flicked her finger tips. Neon pink lightening flamed there, dancing.  
"Aelita, are you sure you-"  
Slowly, the pink haired girl turned her head to look at them, and the look on her face sent chills of almost fearful admiration down her friends' spines. Her eyes narrowed, pink sparks mixing with the flashing green.  
"You should be running."  
The three of them stared for a moment, then in unison, turned and sprang at the oncoming megatanks.  
Aelita pushed them out of her mind. She pushed Jeremie out of her mind. And turned back around to face her enemy.  
Magenta smirked, and walked slowly around Aelita as if she was a cheetah about to pounce on her pray. "Come to submit to my father?" When Aelita didn't answer, Magenta hissed softly.  
"You stupid slut, that boy is mine. He will come to me. After you're dead."  
Aelita signed, and causally inspected the darting sparks around her finger tips. "Keep thinking that. Have you ever wondered would happen if you failed?"  
Magenta sneered at her, the circle she walked around Aelita becoming smaller and smaller. "Failing is not an option for someone as advanced as me."  
"Advanced? You're an artificial copy built on my DNA, altered by a program that couldn't understand advancement if it blew up in his face." Green eyes flicked to black and white ones. "And who would easily dispel you if failure occurred."  
Actual surprise passed over Magenta's face for a moment, then she smirked again. "You are living, breathing, pathetic failure, little sister."  
"Takes one to know one," Aelita replied softly. "Only you don't live, or breathe. You're just pathetic."  
Magenta hissed, and- lightening fast- her fist streaked out in a vicious backhand, striking Aelita full in the face. Although the pain was lessened in her digital form, Aelita gasped, jumping back. Her eyes narrowed, then with a soft cry, she launched herself in the air, spinning madly- and her foot connected solidly with Magenta's head. Magenta's neck jerked slightly, and she leaped forward, copying Aelita's kick- and missed.  
Back and forth, the two traded blows, their hands shimmering with colors- Magenta's black sparkling smoke, Aelita's neon pink sparks. Gasping for breath, Aelita missed the signs of Magenta's next move, until it caught her full in the chest, pushing her back several feet. Cursing, she flipped her fingers over the bracelet on her wrist- and felt her wings flip open and catch the air. Aelita watched as Magenta's eyes narrowed slightly, as her black lips twitched from annoyance to a smirk.  
"Running away, little sister?" She took a step forward. Aelita's eyes narrowed again, and humming softly, flicked her fingers as neon lightening grew around them.  
"Hardly," she replied. Please, she thought for a moment, wondering vaguely if the voices of Lyoko would hear or understand her. Please. Help me.  
With song in her ears, Aelita let out a cry and shot a massive energy field straight into Magenta's chest.  
The force of the blast knocked the creature back, her inhuman eyes going wide with obvious shock.  
"Interesting," she murmured as she slowly straightened. "My father will enjoy you, that is most definite." A shudder of disgust and fear went down Aelita's spine, but she ignored it. Then- suddenly, black wings sprouted from Magenta's shoulder blades, and she launched towards Aelita with a shriek.  
The two collided in mid air, and black and pink sparks and shadows mixed, hissed, danced, and burned. Voices screamed in Aelita's head- Aelita was somewhat aware that she was screaming along with them. All she saw was her enemy's eyes, wide and insane, the black pupils pulsing wildly. A blast of black smoke hit her hard in the stomach; she fired a shot straight into Magenta's face. The next thing Aelita knew, cold fingers wrapped around her neck, oozing with black shadows. Crying out, Aelita rammed her elbow into Magenta's eye, then wrapped her own hands around her enemy's bony neck. Together, wings beating hard, powers hissing and sparking where they met, angel and demon hurtled, spinning to the ground.  
With a deafening slam, Magenta pinned Aelita to the ground, gasping for breath and laughing wildly.  
"You're done for, stupid little fool," she hissed, her face inches from Aelita's, her hands squeezing off the pink-haired girl's air supply. "You will be deleted, the boy will be mine, your pathetic friends will be mine, and my father shall have you."  
Aelita hissed in a breath, her vision going gray around the edges. No. Voices cried in her head, screaming at her to move. No.  
"AELITA!"  
A voice, a single voice, sudden and full of static, blasted over Lyoko. Aelita's eyes widened, her heart froze.  
Jeremie.  
"Jeremie..."  
"I'm going to let him watch you die, little sister," Magenta whispered, her voice almost gentle. "Let the one you lust for watch you die."  
"It- it's love, not lust," Aelita hissed softly. "Something you will never understand." Then with a scream, she brought her legs up and kicked Magenta in the stomach, flipping her captor over her head.  
Jumping to her feet, still gasping, Aelita spun and watched as her enemy slowly got to her feet.  
"Love?" Magenta's voice was raspy, yet still ranging with wrathful amusement. "An invention made by humans to deny their animal longings."  
"Your father thought the same thing," Aelita said softly, moving toward her enemy. Somewhere in the back of her mind, numb surprise registered when Magenta actually took a step back. "It's been his down fall many a time." Her eyes narrowed to slits as pink sparks danced over her skin. "Being XANA's daughter, it will be your downfall as well."  
Magenta's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, they darted back and forth, as if she was looking for something. "My father will destroy you, and he will protect me. Unlike yours."  
Aelita raised her eyebrows. "Unlike mine? Magenta, my father sacrificed himself for everyone he loved. Your father loves no one, so will have no qualms about destroying you."  
The monster's eyes widened, then narrowed. "How dare you, you stupid fool. He will not allow me to fail!" Magenta launched herself at Aelita, but the pink-haired girl, seeing this, nimbly stepped aside. Magenta flipped, rolling, and got to her feet, stumbling slightly. Expression furious and no longer amused, the creature simply shrieked and dived at her enemy again.  
"Father!"  
Gasping now as she got to her feet once again, Magenta turned her head left and right, her eyes wide and wild. "Father!"  
"Haven't I told you, sister?" Aelita called softly, calming throwing another energy field into Magenta's chest. Magenta barely dodged it, and stumbled backwards. "He's not coming."  
"You- you stupid, pathetic- you're lying! My father-" Another blast hit her straight in her face, and Magenta fell backwards, slamming hard against the wall of the activated tower. "You...you..."  
Smiling sadly, her heart sick, Aelita raised her hand over her enemy's terrified face. "We are nothing alike, you and I." Sparks darted over her finger tips, and reflected, warped, in Magenta's wide eyes. "Yet, I know you. The monster inside me." Aelita leaned close, staring into the eyes that had haunted her, tormented Jeremie, and threatened them all for weeks on end. "And I pity you." Closing her eyes, Aelita let out one soft note.  
Magenta erupted.  
Screeching, black smoke blasted everywhere, yet pasted right through Aelita like she was a ghost. The scream went on, and on, echoing in her ears, in her head, all around Lyoko.  
Slowly, Aelita raised her head. Jeremie's virus must have succeeded.  
"Just in time," she murmured, and stood. "Good job, Jeremie." A coded song whispering in the back of her mind as she took the few steps needed, and melted into the activated tower wall.


	6. Chapter 6

Five teenagers, five best friends, five warriors, stood silent in a broken circle in the scanner room. Yumi leaned against one of the scanners, one hand linked lightly to Ulrich's, who was standing behind her. Odd leaned on Ulrich's shoulder, for once in his life not making a sound.  
Jeremie and Aelita stood on opposite ends of the room, both looking at the ground.  
"Well..." Ulrich shifted his feet, and looked up, obviously having no idea on what else to say.  
"Well..." Odd echoed. Then he grinned, and looked over at Yumi. "Heck of a fight, wasn't it, Yumi?"  
Yumi's lips twitched slightly, but she shrugged. "Yeah." She glanced up, and looked back and forth between the two still standing silent and apart from the rest.  
"Hey, Einstein, you saw the fight, right?" Headless of the unhappy expression on Jeremie's face, Odd beamed and pretended to flex his muscles. "Who won?"  
"We did," Jeremie muttered, shrugging. "And no, I didn't see all of it."  
"Odd, your idiot," Yumi said softly, "Magenta could block his vision into Lyoko, remember?"  
Odd blinked, then visually deflated. "Oh. Yeah."  
"To be fair..." Aelita hadn't moved, yet she spoke up from her shadowy corner of the room. All four of her friends looked at her, as she hesitated, then went on. "To be fair, Jeremie, it was you who won."  
Jeremie, surprised, blushed and quickly began to shake his head. "No, Aelita, not me." He smiled gently and started to move forward. "Not me."  
"No, it was your program. The virus. That's what made her implode."  
Jeremie's smile widened slightly as he took another step closer. "Aelita, that wasn't the virus." Aelita looked up at him, surprise and disbelief written in her expression.  
"It had to have been-"  
"The virus wasn't finished." Jeremie winced slightly. "When Magenta started messing with the screen and the read-outs, it also slowed the process." He looked her straight in her eyes, wide and vivid with confusion. "It was you, Aelita. Remember when she opened up the channel on purpose, let me call to you again?"  
A shudder visually went over her skin, her fingers twitching. Watching her closely, guilt kicked him in the stomach for making that flash of fear and anger flash cross her face. After a moment, her face, her emotions under control again, she nodded. "I do, yes. But-"  
"The last thing you did, that last blast of power and sound? It sent out a blast of sonic power I could even see on the readout."  
Aelita's eyes widened.  
"That scream?"  
Jeremie and Aelita both jumped. They had almost totally forget about the other three. Yumi was looking at them closely, her eyebrows raised. "We all heard it," she said, gesturing herself and the other boys. "Right before the return to the past." Ulrich and Odd nodded, glancing at each other. Yumi's eyes widened. "That was you, Princess?"  
Aelita actually blushed, shrugging. "I...I was in the moment."  
"You were awesome!" Odd and Ulrich countered in unison. Yumi snorted, then echoed them wryly.  
Aelita simply shook her head. "No, I-"  
"Yes, Aelita, you did," Jeremie said, smiling gently now. Aelita started at her hands, her eyes wide. Jeremie moved closer, and, trying to ignore the blush creeping up his face now, took her hands in his. She was shaking, he realized, and felt that kick of guilt get harder.  
"Aelita."  
Slowly, almost if she was ashamed, Aelita raised her head. The anger she had felt, the desperation...she met his eyes squarely. There was no place for it now. He was safe.  
"It doesn't matter," she said softly, and felt herself smile. "Yo- I mean, everyone is safe now. That's all that matters." Jeremie smiled slowly, and her heart, no longer heavy, flipped over. Safe. They were all safe. He was safe. The thought still sinking in, Aelita felt the relief rise up slowly. Then, with a laugh, she launched herself into Jeremie's arms.  
The other three burst into cheers, then, as one, tackled the embracing genius in a massive group bear hug, the sound of their laugher, echoing around the factory.

Whether it was five minutes or an hour later, Aelita wasn't sure. Time was spinning now. Every breath she took, every laugh from her friends, seemed to echo brilliantly in the evening air as they walked home from the factory.  
Every time Jeremie looked at her, smiled, took her hand in his, her heart sang a little song of its own. Not caring how silly she sounded such thoughts drifted through her mind, it felt as if she positively floated down the sidewalk. Yumi said goodbye as they walked by her house, giving an extra hug to Aelita- and a longer hug than usual to Ulrich. Trying to hide her smile as she waved good bye, she leaned her head causally against Jeremie's shoulder.  
Odd glanced back at the two of them, traded a grin with Ulrich, then raised an eyebrow. "Maybe we should hurry on, Ulrich, good buddy," he drawled, and Ulrich snorted.  
"Yeah, that might be a good idea." Failing to hide the laugh in his voice, he saluted the two geniuses. Aelita smiled and saluted back, and Jeremie waved weakly. As the roommates walked away, trading mocking insults, Aelita glanced up at Jeremie, was surprised to see that he was quite red, staring straight ahead.  
"Jeremie?" Was he nervous? Had she said something wrong? Suddenly realizing how close she had been to him all evening, Aelita felt a blush rise to her own cheeks, and started to move away from him. Maybe he was getting annoying, or-  
To her surprise, Jeremie gently clasped her hand in his and pulled her back. Her eyes widening, she stared up at him. "Jeremie?"  
"A-aelita..." Looking down at her, his steps slowed down until they had both stopped and turned to face each other. "I...I wanted to ask you something."  
Cocking her head to one side, Aelita smiled at him, confused and suddenly nervous herself. "Jeremie, what ever it is..."  
"Why did you kiss me?"  
Anything that Aelita was expecting, it wasn't that. Her face turned flaming pink, her green eyes turning as neon as Jeremie's own blue ones.  
"I- I..." Trying to slow her suddenly reeling mind, Aelita bit her lip nervously- and watched as Jeremie's eyes flickered momentarily to follow the movement. She blushed even more, opening her mouth only to close it again. "Um...well..."  
"W-were you trying to protect me?"  
Aelita's eyes flicked back up to his, her jaw dropping slightly. How had he known, she-  
Seeing the expression on her face, Jeremie smiled gently, despite his still vibrantly blushing face. "I...I'm sorry, but I did hear some of what you and..." he shuddered. "That thing said to one another. She..."The fading blush came back in full force, and he trailed off.  
Understanding now, Aelita took a breath, and looked him in the face. "In her own twisted way, Jeremie...she did love you. Or..." she shook her head. "Or the closest thing she could get to it."  
"L-lust verses love," Jeremie muttered, and Aelita stared at him.  
"You didn't hear..." When he simply nodded, still quite red, Aelita stepped away from him, her face feeling so hot it felt as if it'd melt away, she covered her face in her hands. "Oh...Jeremie, I'm sorry, you-"  
Gently, Jeremie took her hands in his and had her look at him again. "That's not what I was going to tell you, Aelita. I know...I think I understand now." He smiled warmly at her, and, still blushing, cupped her face in his hands. "You were protecting me. Again. Thank you."  
Her heart pounding, Aelita could do little but stare and stammer up at him. "I...well...you...you're welcome?"  
Jeremie's smile widened. "Now that that's cleared up, Aelita, I just have one more thing to say." He hesitated slightly, blushing brighter. "You asked me to pretend like I wanted you to kiss me."  
Aelita turned as red as he. "Well, yes, so she'd assume that-"  
Anything she was about to say was cut off by Jeremie, who gently pressed his lips to hers.  
A moment and a million tiny explosions of joy later- he pulled back, his eyes brilliant behind his glasses. "Aelita, I wasn't pretending."  
Aelita stared up at him, her heart dancing, spinning, singing. Then, slowly, she smiled.  
"Jeremie, neither was I."


End file.
